1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and method for controlling data transfer transmitted via radio communication applicable to handheld electronic equipment and electronic equipment communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus and method for controlling transfer of system data arranged in a communication unit provided in electronic equipment, such as a handheld computer or a mobile telephone.
2. Discussion of the Background
In recent years, various types of electronic equipment, such as a handheld computer or a notebook type computer, generally referred to herein as a xe2x80x9cportable computer,xe2x80x9d that includes a radio communication unit have been developed in order to transmit/receive data via radio communication among electronic equipments, for example, between a personal computer and a communication terminal, such as a mobile telephone.
These electronic equipments are usually designed to accommodate both power from a battery pack and an AC adaptor. The battery is needed for outdoor use when commercial AC power is unavailable. Usually, when the electronic equipment receives data, such as image data or character data, in the radio communication unit, the received data are arranged in it and it supplies them as system data for processing. Usually, the arranged system data are immediately transferred to the computer unit, i.e., a data processing unit in the electronic equipment, for processing the arranged data.
In order to execute this data processing, the power source needs to be continually supplied both to the radio communication unit and the computer unit in the receiving side electronic equipment. Accordingly, in order to receive the transmitted data at any time, the power source must be supplied to both units from the battery when commercial AC power is unavailable. Consequently, this type of electronic equipment, such as a battery driven type personal computer, has a severe problem of power consumption of the battery since the continuous supply of power to both units for the electronic equipment extremely shortens a battery driven operation time.
In order to save the power consumption for a battery driven portable computer, it has been proposed to continually supply a power source only to the radio communication unit in the electronic equipment for receiving data via radio communication at any time. But the computer unit in the electronic equipment is kept in a power-OFF state or a waiting state when it is not used. In these types of electronic equipment or electronic equipment communication system, when the radio communication unit detects data receipt via radio communication, the radio communication unit requests a power source controller to supply power to the devices in the computer unit, i.e., to change the computer unit into a power ON state, for processing the received data. When the computer unit has been changed to the power ON state by the request, the radio communication unit immediately transfers the received data to the computer unit.
This type of electronic equipment can not immediately execute a transfer of the received data to the computer unit since the radio communication unit must wait until the power drive for the computer unit has changed to the power ON state before data can be transferred, even if the radio communication unit has already completed an arrangement of the received data for providing as system data. Consequently, the conventional electronic equipment cannot receive subsequent data until the previous system data has been transferred to the computer unit. Thus, conventional electronic equipment has a problem of time-lag for receiving data.
The conventional portable electronic equipment has a further problem. Especially, a handheld computer having a radio communication function has a severe problem if it receives data while being vibrated such as occurs during carrying. When the radio communication unit detects data receipt, it requests to drive devices including an HDD in the computer unit. Thus, for storing the transferred data from the radio communication unit, the HDD is driven even when vibration during carrying influences it. This causes serious problems for the HDD. For example, abnormal movement of a head causes data loss. And hitting disks with the head can cause serious damage to the HDD. Accordingly, it is very dangerous to operate the computer unit during an unstable condition.
Therefore, there is a need for apparatus and method to receive data via radio communication at any time and also safely transfer the received data in a data processing unit without damaging an HDD in the electronic equipment. Further, there is a need for apparatus and method to receive data via radio communication at any time without wasting power consumption of battery power in battery driven electronic equipment.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to apparatus for controlling transfer of data to electronic equipment that includes a data processing unit and a radio communication unit that is powered independent from the data processing unit, comprising:
means for detecting receipt of data transmitted via radio communication;
a memory for storing the received data in the radio communication unit;
means for determining a state of the data processing unit when the data receipt is detected by the detecting means;
means for requesting start up of the data processing unit if it is determined to be in a non-operating state; and
means for transferring the received data stored in the memory to the data processing unit when start up of the data processing unit is complete.
Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided apparatus for controlling transfer of data between a communication terminal and a computer that includes a data processing unit and a radio communication unit that is powered independent from the data processing unit, comprising:
means for detecting receipt of data transmitted via radio communication in the communication terminal;
a first memory provided in the communication terminal for storing the received data;
means for inquiring as to a state of the data processing unit from the communication terminal via radio communication;
means for determining a state of the data processing unit when the inquiry is received in the computer;
means for requesting start up of the data processing unit if it is determined to be in a non-operating state;
means for sending a notice of completion of the start up of the data processing unit when the start up is complete;
means for transmitting the stored data in the first memory to the computer via radio communication when the communication terminal receives the completion notice; and
means for transferring the transmitted received data from the radio communication unit to the data processing unit in the computer.
Further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling data transfer to electronic equipment that includes a data processing unit and a radio communication unit that is powered independent from the data processing unit, comprising the steps of:
detecting receipt of data transmitted via radio communication;
storing the received data in a memory in the radio communication unit;
determining a state of the data processing unit when the data receipt is detected;
requesting start up of the data processing unit if it is determined to be in a non-operating state; and
transferring the received data stored in the memory to the data processing unit when start up of the data processing unit is complete.
Additionally, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method for communicating data between a communication terminal and a computer that includes a data processing unit and a radio communication unit that is powered independent from the data processing unit, comprising the steps of:
detecting receipt of data transmitted via radio communication;
storing the received data in a memory provided in the communication terminal;
inquiring by the communication terminal via radio communication as to a state of the data processing unit;
determining a state of the data processing unit when the inquiry is received in the computer;
requesting start up of the data processing unit if it is determined to be in a non-operating state;
sending a notice of completion of the start up of the data processing unit when the start up is complete;
transmitting the received data stored in the memory to a radio communication unit of the computer via radio communication when the communication terminal receives the completion notice; and
transferring the transmitted received data from the radio communication unit to the data processing unit in the computer.